Human beings are born with five basic senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Each one of these senses is a blessing in its own right that enables us to function on our own in our everyday life. These senses enable us to communicate and interact with our surroundings smoothly and sense the world around us. However, some people do lack one or more of these senses and therefore their functionality may get impaired in one way or the other. These impairments may either be due to birth defects or might occur later in life due to accidents or underlying medical conditions. Whatever the case may be, disabilities and impairments do bring some sort of dependence and inconvenience for the disabled.
Fortunately, thanks to the advancement in science and technology, today we have technological devices that can be used as an alternative to the natural senses and consequently help in making a disabled person more functional and independent. One of the most common forms of disabilities is hearing impairment or the loss of sense of hearing. A hearing-impaired person is unable to hear the sounds from his surroundings either fully or partially or hears sounds at either too high or too low pitches. However, this abnormality can easily be taken care of by using technological tools such as electronic hearing aids.
If you are planning to buy a hearing aid for yourself or a loved one, it is important for you to take care of a few important aspects, in order to ensure that the device serves the purpose and helps you function effectively.
Degree of Loss
Not every person who suffers from hearing impairment suffers from the same degree of hearing loss. Some people might have a low hearing impairment, say 30% hearing loss while others might be 80% or even 100% impaired. All hearing aids are programmed to cater to different levels of hearing impairments. That means that a device that works for one person may not necessarily work for another one. Therefore, make sure you undergo the relevant tests and consult your audiologist to figure out what device will work best for you.
Ear Condition
Some people suffer from other ear issues such as constant fluids and wax build up inside the ear. Certain hearing devices may get damaged due to contact with such fluids therefore, it is important that you pick a device that will not be affected by such issues.
Compatibility with Wireless Devices
In the world of technology, it is very common for most of us to use wireless devices such as Bluetooth and smartphones on an everyday basis. Some hearing aids might not be compatible with wireless signals and may have an impact on the effectiveness of the device. Make sure you check with your audiologist if you are someone who uses wireless devices on a regular basis.
Age of User
Hearing aids are expensive and you would not want a five-year-old toddler to dame his device while playing with it. If the user of the hearing aid is a kid, make sure you pick a low-maintenance kid-friendly device that would not get damaged easily.
